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VOL. 15, NO. 9

NEWS

Churches wrestle with same-sex marriage issue

By Mark Schoeff, Jr.
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT

As the issue of marriage for gays and lesbians gains the political spotlight during the campaign season, churches around the Baltimore-Washington Conference are seeking ways to be in conversation with each other and their members.

For one church — Foundry UMC in Washington, D.C. — being in conversation means joining the discourse on an ecclesiastical level. In June, Foundry, a reconciling congregation, will launch a forum series on same-sex unions modeled after meetings the church held prior to the Iraq war.

Another reconciling congregation in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, Christ UMC in Columbia, began a six-week class on April 22, designed to explore issues surrounding homosexuality.

Connie Gull, chairwoman of the Christ UMC council, said that about 10 people have signed up, even though the congregation as a whole has not addressed same-sex unions. 'It’s more of an informal, educational type of thing,' she said.

'At this juncture, we’re not even talking about an end result,' said Scott Calvert, head of the Foundry church council’s issues working group on same-sex marriage. 'We’re talking about the subject within the context of the faith community.'

The Rev. Dean Snyder, senior pastor of Foundry UMC, has counseled same-sex couples and offers prayers at same-sex marriage ceremonies. According to Snyder, the point is not to make a political statement.

'This comes up as a sacramental issue,' he said. 'How do we relate to people within the congregation to whom we have a pastoral responsibility? I know that the connectional system makes things difficult on congregations like Foundry who are so often ahead of the rest of the denomination on critical issues, yet it keeps us in dialogue and community with the larger community of faith.'

But as demonstrated by the acquittal in a March church trial of the Rev. Karen Dammann, who is living in a homosexual relationship, United Methodist views on homosexuality differ widely.

'The whole system is based upon what the Book of Discipline says, and we promise to uphold the Discipline,' said the Rev. Dennis Whitmore, pastor of First UMC in Laurel. In a recent letter, Whitmore criticized Bishop Edwin Felton May’s endorsement of the Dammann verdict.

'We seem to think it’s proper to elevate to prominence the mantra of inclusiveness above the requirement of holiness,' Whitmore wrote in a letter that he says has been well-received by his 120-member congregation.

In an interview, he said that Jesus taught, 'The way to life is narrow. That’s exclusive. The more we water down things and accommodate the age, the more we deceive and hurt people.'

Another conference pastor also cites the Bible in opposing homosexual lifestyles. 'To be part of the people of faith, we can’t divorce ourselves from Scripture,' said the Rev. Richard Wright of St. Mark’s UMC in Baltimore. 'This does not mean that we don’t minister to persons of that persuasion. But I disagree with the practice of homosexuality and gay marriage.'

'The issue is so explosive,' said Wright. 'Either way it goes, it will be put before us and be of major concern.'

Snyder said the connectional system strengthens United Methodism. 'Decisions and policy are made in covenant with all other United Methodists in a democratic process,' he said. 'We are part of a system that believes we are in a relationship with other people around the world and that we deliberate together.'

TO LEARN MORE
For more information on how General Conference votes on the issue of homosexuality, or any of the other 1,600 petitions delegates are facing this week, visit www.gc2004.org.